Welcome to The Queensberry Rules’ annual year-end awards, starting today and continuing throughout the week. Here’s how we do it around these parts:

The major categories are Knockout of the Year, Round of the Year, Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year. The final leg is a pu-pu platter of awards ranging from Trainer of the Year to more frivolous topics.

For each category, I give five finalists, with video and/or relevant info. You tell me if my finalists and honorable mentions are lacking, and give your vote on who you think should win. Maybe you sway me to adjust the list, and maybe you sway me on the eventual winner. On the second day after a category is introduced, I give that winner and explain why. (There are no major fights left in 2011, but we reserve the right to change our category winners if something crazy happens.)

So, up first: Knockout of the Year and Round of the Year candidates. On deck: Knockout of the Year and Round of the Year winners, followed by Fight of the Year and Fighter of the Year candidates.

THE FINALISTS (IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER)

Nonito Donaire – Fernando Montiel

It’s definitely the best punch of the year. But did referee Russell Mora spoil Donaire’s picture-perfect KO by letting Montiel continue?

Kendall Holt – Julio Diaz

Both had power. Both were a little chinny. Holt’s power got to Diaz’ chin first.Jessie Vargas – Walter Estrada

You don’t see them like that very often: Vargas caught Estrada in mid-air, essentially.

Rico Ramos – Akifumi Shimoda

Ramos spoiled for six rounds while Shimoda stalked. The 7th was quite different.

Roman Gonzalez – Omar Soto

That Gonzalez uppercut is so quick you have to watch the replay to watch Soto get crunched with it.

About Tim Starks

Tim is the founder of The Queensberry Rules and co-founder of The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (http://www.tbrb.org). He lives in Washington, D.C. He has written for the Guardian, Economist, New Republic, Chicago Tribune and more.

CHAMPIONS

The Transnational Boxing Rankings Board champions are the true lineal champions of each division, like in earlier years of boxing when there was only one champion per division. For more on lineal champions vs. titleholders, click the "boxing basics tutorial" tab at the top of the page.